time share promotions - is it worth it?
 

We have a chance to go to Williamsburg, VA and stay 3 nights at the Marriot resort for $159 plus a dinner perk. We have to listen to the 90 minute talk about time shares. Have people found these worthwhile to take advantage of? We are interested in going to Williamsburg, but don't want a time share. Anything we need to beware of?

Sue- First of all, glad to hear you don't want a time share. Your question was actually addressed in an earlier post- go ahead and take advantage of the perks, then forget about the timeshare. You don't need to beware of anything as long as you don't sign anything. Also, give them their 90 minutes and no longer. As long as these timeshare wackos try to con people into a terrible investment, I will continue to take advantage of their promotional perks! kk

I've done this a time or two, they put the pressure on you to buy immediately. Tell them you want to have your sister-in-law the attorney to see the papers first, or you father the accountant to check it out. They'll back off.

The worst investment someone could possibly make is to buy a timeshare. Consider the yearly maintenance fees. For the cost of the yearly maintenance fee alone, you could go on a nice vacation.<BR>I've gone to many, many time share presentations. They say it will take 90min and that's all the time I give them. Then I gladly take their free dinners and breakfests. I've been to at least 50 timeshare presentations and I'm proud to say, I've never ever bought one. All timeshare sales people are high-pressure sleaze-balls, and i enjoy playing on them. Here's a little information that the average buyer doesn't realize when they sell their timeshare. The original owned is responsible for maintenance fees if the buyer {for whatever reason} does not pay those fees. I've seen yearly maintenance fees from $900.00 all the way up to $2000.00 per year. Multiply that cost x say 200 units, then multiply the cost of each unit x 52 weeks. If you play with the numbers, you will soon realize that there are big profits to be make at expense of the ignorant public.<BR>My advice: Never ever buy a timeshare at any cost. You'll be left holding the bag. <BR><BR>Here's an example: Lets say there are 200 units for sale at $10,000.00 per unit per week with yearly maintenance fees of 1000.00 per unit per week. Are we starting to understand? It gets even better!<BR>That's $10,000.00 x 52 weeks = $520,000.00<BR>per unit cost.<BR>Now, lets not forget the maintenance fee! <BR>That's $1000.00 x 52 weeks = $52,000.00 per unit, just for maintenance. Wait, it gets even better. <BR>200 units x $520,000.00 per unit = $104,000,000.00 + 52 x $52,000.00 in maintenance fees = $2,704,000.00. That's $2.7 mil per year in just maintenance fees alone!!!! NOW, THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE HIGH PRESSURE!!!!<BR>

OK, have to put in my 2 cents here. My brother and I bought our first timeshare week in 1984 in Whiskey Jack in Whistler, British Columbia, bought a 2nd in 1985 and a third in 1986. We've never regretted it, and since it's long been paid off (I guess using money we could have bought a nicer, newer car with that would already be in the junk yard), we feel like we're getting fabulous vacations in a fabulous place for only the cost of the maintenance fees (which at only $250 US money is only 2 days of rental so the other 5 are free!). Sure, they are not for everybody, but I know lots of people who enjoy their timeshare units, enjoy trading and traveling to new locations, and love the fact that they are in "homes" rather than hotel rooms. Sure can save alot by not having to eat out every meal.

There's a rule about timeshare promos: The greater the pressure, the worse the deal is.<BR><BR>If you're the type who's non-confrontational, some of these promos may make you feel uncomfortable. If, however, you have no problem with saying "no," you'll be fine.<BR><BR>Some of my experiences with this have been downright funny. One saleswoman said my reluctance to buy was a reflection of my lack of manhood. (She was getting desperate.) I find stuff like that to be entertaining. I also like bargaining with car salespeople, so I guess I'm a little crazy anyway.

Why does everyone in this type of chat get nervous about pressure sales in these time share meetings. My only concern is when they have a senior citizen in front of them. I remember doing a time share meeting at Hanalei Bay Resort on Kauai. The guy kept on trying to get personal info out of me. How much money I spent on vacation, how much I made what other investments I had. I was very clear that I was not giving out personal information to someone I just met who is trying to sell me something. <BR><BR>Just not sure why this is a problem for some people it is not like I had to hand over my check book. I work hard for my money no one can talk me into giving it away.

Clare's appraoch seems terribly narrow-minded and one sided: "It's not a problem for me, so I don't understand why it's a problem for anyone else." (I also find her observations about "senior citizens" being unable to handle the pressure to be silly and shallow. Just try bargaining with my 84-year-old mother sometime -- you'll never forget the experience.)<BR><BR>Fact is, if you're the type who's uncomfortable with high-pressure tactics, stay away from timeshare promos. If, however, like Clare, you're supremely confident and self assured, jump right in.

Hello all. Very funny to find this thread today... I went to my first timeshare presentation this past Saturday. The incentive sounded too good to pass up... $50 gift certificate to Wal-Mart (who can't use that?), $20 to either Red Lobster or Olive Garden, and a voucher for three nights lodging at a number of places to choose from, good for one year, I'm looking at either Sedona or Orlando. <BR><BR>I was expecting a high pressure, one-on-one sales pitch but it wasn't anything like that. I never had any intention to buy a timeshare, but I just listened to the guy's presentation along with about 6 other people, took a brief tour of a four-bedroom unit, went back to look through the catalogue (watching the clock for the 90 minute mark) and when he came around to me asking if I had made a choice, I said I wasn't ready to make this financial commitment right now, and he politely said "Okay, would you like to go up and receive your free gifts now?" <BR><BR>I never felt pressured. I'm planning to spend the $50 at wal-mart on about 20 rolls of film for my trip to Italy in three weeks. And I only had to drive about 45 minutes to the Lake of the Ozarks to hear this presentation. I also had a gift certificate which I had won on a radio trivia game for a local restaurant there and had a nice lunch as well.<BR><BR>I think it was worth it. I didn't have anything else pressing to do that day anyway. <BR><BR>Sandi

Last May I spent a week at one of the Fairfield (owned by Marriot) timeshare complexes in Williamsburg. My friend's parents actually own the timeshare but hadn't been able to vacation that year and thus let my friend use it. Williamsburg was a good place to visit, and as for the timeshare, not only was it a nice place to stay, but the "welcome visit," wherein they attempt to sell you a larger share, was not very high pressure. However, perhaps in our case that was simply because we were obviously there out of someone else's genorosity, and we all quickly pointed out that the apartments we live in are smaller than the timeshare they were trying to sell us. So my advice is, if you want to see Williamsburg, go ahead and go, and, if possible, pretend to be poor during the presentation.